Thursday, January 07, 2010
CES: Sharp Expands The LCD Color Gamut With New AQUO LED LCD TV Series

Sharp unveiled three new AQUOS LED LCD TV series, breaking new ground in LCD technology and design. Premiering in the U.S. in early 2010, this next-generation set of UltraBrilliant Edge-lit AQUOS LED LCD TVs unveils a new technology, introducing never-before-seen colors to the TV industry, Sharp claims.

Unveiled by the company at the 2010 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sharp?s proprietary four-primary-color technology enables more than a trillion colors to be displayed for more sparkling golds, Caribbean blues and sunflower yellows.

This four-primary-color display employs a four-color filter, for the first time in the industry, that adds the color Y (yellow) to the three colors of R (red), G (green), and B (blue). This combination expands the color gamut, rendering nearly all colors that can be discerned with the unaided human eye.

Four-primary-color technology enables the display to reproduce colors that have been difficult to portray using conventional LCD displays, such as the golden yellow color of brass instruments.

The new AQUOS LEDs also offer a new design. At only 1.6-inches thin, the full-front panel glass (on the LE920 and LE820 series) extends to meet the slim border for a subtle edge that befits the elegance of a modern home theater.

These AQUOS LED LCD TVs also include Sharp?s newest version of AQUOS Net, which delivers streaming video with Netflix. AQUOS Net gives users instant access to customized Web-based content as well as AQUOS Advantage Live real-time customer support. The new AQUOS LED LCD TV product lines are all compliant with Energy Star Version 4.0 standards which become effective in May 2010 and are equipped with Sharp?s OPC function that automatically adjusts the unit?s brightness based on the lighting of the room.

LE920 Series

The LE920 AQUOS LED LCD TV Series represents the flagship line of this new suite of AQUOS products. This Full-HD 1080p LCD TV Series, available in a 68-inch (LC-68LE920UN) screen class size, as well 60- (LC-60LE920UN) and 52-inch (LC-52LE920UN) screen class sizes (68 1/32", 60 1/32" and 52 1/32" diagonals respectively), combines Sharp?s Full HD 1080p X-Gen LCD panel with its UltraBrilliant Edge-lit LED backlight. Additionally, this 1080p TV employs AquoMotion 240, which eliminates blur and artifacts on fast-moving video. The LE920 Series includes a USB media player for digital video/music/photo enjoyment.

LE820/810 Series

Offering additional large-screen AQUOS LED LCD TV options, the LE820 and LE810 Series are available in 60- (LC-60LE820UN and LC-60LE810UN), 52- (LC-52LE820UN and LC-52LE810UN), 46- (LC-46LE820UN and LC-46LE810UN) and 40-inch (LC-40LE820UN and LC-40LE810UN) screen class sizes (60 1/32", 52 1/32", 45 63/64" and 40" diagonals respectively). Similar to the LE920 Series, these models combine Sharp?s X-Gen LCD panel with an UltraBrilliant Edge-lit LED backlight. Sharp?s proprietary Fine Motion Enhanced technology is included for 120 Hz Frame Rate Conversion, as well as fast response time (4 ms).

- The LC-68LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
- The LC-60LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
- The LC-52LE920UN will be available in May, pricing is TBD
- The LC-60LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $3,999.99
- The LC-52LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,999.99
- The LC-46LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,399.99
- The LC-40LE820UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,199.99
- The LC-60LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $3,499.99
- The LC-52LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,599.99
- The LC-46LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $2,099.99
- The LC-40LE810UN will be available in March for an MSRP of $1,799.99

New AQUOS blu-ray players

Sharp also launched two new AQUOS Blu-ray players. The Netflix-ready BD-HP70U and BD-HP24U combine Deep Color, enhanced audio decoding and connectivity with an easy to use interface. The new players deliver Full HD 1920 x 1080p video resolution at 24 frames per second over HDMI, along with lossless Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio.

The BD-HP70U and BD-HP24U offer a target use of just 14 watts of power in operating mode and 0.4-watt in standby. The new players are compliant with the latest Energy Star standards.

BD-HP24U

Using the AQUOS PURE MODE found in all current-generation Sharp Blu-ray players, the BD-HP24U recognizes the connection to an AQUOS TV and automatically optimizes the picture quality. As a result, images can be viewed in their true form with every detail intact. To further improve the image quality, the BD-HP24U incorporates Deep Color, which extends the maximum number of colors for each color component, reducing and in some cases eliminating color component artifacts.

Next-generation lossless audio formats including Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio deliver multi-channel audio. The player also outputs Dolby Digital Plus for up to 7.1 channels of theater-quality sound for appropriately equipped receivers.

The slimline Sharp Blu-ray players are finished in piano black to mirror the elegant look of an AQUOS LCD TV. The blue media circle on the front illuminates to indicate the status of the player. Both models are compatible with a wide range of formats including BD-ROM/RE/R, DVD Video, DVD-RW/R, DVD+RW/R and audio CDs, as well as MP3 playback and a JPEG viewer to enjoy photos in slide-show format. Consumers can also play back high-definition digital camcorder video files with AVCHD.

The BD-HP24U will be available in Q1 2010 for an MSRP of $279.99

BD-HP70U

The flagship BD-HP70U combines high-end audio and video performance with a palette of features. In addition to the Ethernet port for RSS feeds, BonusView / BD-Live content and Netflix on-demand movies, the BD-HP70U is wireless ready with a second USB port making the BD-HP70U model wireless LAN ready. The player is also custom install-ready, with an included RS-232C port for management by external control systems. A reinforced cabinet design with a center-loading BD drive reduces vibration that can lead to errors in laser tracking. The rigid chassis frame construction, combined with a dual-shield metal top cover, reduces the amount of vibration to the Blu-ray drive, enabling a stable picture and improved operation. A grounded AC power cord is included for stable power which is essential for proper operation of audio system to prevent ground loop conditions which can create noise.

The BD-HP70U also includes the features found in the new BD-HP24U Blu-ray player.

The BD-HP70U will be available in Q2 2010 for a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $499.99